Tyranids
Summary :"An alien threat has risen from beyond the abyss, a swarm so vast that it blots out the stars. This horror fights neither for power nor territory, but rather to feed a hunger so insatiable that it will eventually devour the entire galaxy." :— Inquisitor Lord Kryptman The Tyranids, also known as the Great Devourer, are an extragalactic swarm of countless alien species unified by a single will and overlapping consciousness, the Hive Mind. Each and every organism in the Tyranid swarm has been biologically engineered and evolved into weapons of destruction made up of countless organisms working in concert yet appearing to just be one living creature. Collectively forming a single, monstrous superorganism, the Tyranid swarms sweep over the galaxy and consume everything in their way, using the biomass they absorb to create more and more of their kind while the Hive Mind directs them all with perfect synchronicity. Powers and Stats Tier: 9-C | 9-C to 9-B | At least 8-C | At least''' 8-C', up to '''High 6-C' with weapons | At least 9-A for Pyrovores, High 6-C for Haruspexes | At least 9-A with Spore Mines, High 6-C with Bio-plasmic cannons | High 6-C | Unknown | High 6-C | High 6-C | High 6-C | At least High 6-C, possibly High 6-A | At least High 6-C, likely High 6-A | High 6-A Civilization Tier: Intergalactic Civilization (Tyranids originate from another galaxy and have stretched across many galaxies in their search for prey) Name: Tyranids, the Great Devourer Origin: Warhammer 40,000 Classification: Alien swarm unified by a Hive Mind Kardashev Level: Type 1 (Tyranids regularly consume entire planets and scrub them of all energy and life) Age: Unknown; implied to be in the billions Population: Likely at least Quintillions of warrior organisms and ships (during the early stages of the Tyranid invasion, "a billion times a billion" Tyranids were stated to stand at the rim of the galaxy, despite the fact many Hive Fleets have yet to even arrive). Far higher when accounting for lesser weapon organisms and biomorphs. Can increase population numbers by consuming biomass. Territory: Over many star systems and stretching across multiple galaxies Technology and Abilities: Biological Manipulation (Every part of the Tyranid swarm, weapons included, are living beings, and leader organisms can transform plants into carnivorous monsters), Flight (For some organisms), Acid Manipulation (Many Tyranids can attack with dangerous, burning acids and leader organisms can cause pools of acid to form in their surroundings), Electricity Manipulation (Many Tyranid weapons can fire arcs of bio-electricity that can fry flesh, and Trygons are accompanied by a lethal field of bio-electricity), Fire Manipulation (Pyrovores can spit out waves of fire), Plasma Manipulation (Many Tyranid weapons fire bio-plasma), Poison Manipulation (Many Tyranids are venomous or have venomous weapons, and Venomothropes constantly exude a thick, toxic gas and drip with deadly venom), Soul Manipulation (Some Tyranids can consume souls), Gravity and Spatial Manipulation (The Narvhal, a special Tyranid Bio-ship, can create a corridor of compressed space using a star system's gravity, allowing Tyranid Hive Fleets to rapidly travel interstellar distances), Absorption (Tyranids can absorb the minds of those they consume and add their knowledge to the Hive Mind, and Neurothropes can absorb energy), Telepathy, some Tyranids have psychic abilities (Energy Manipulation, Forcefield Creation, Healing, Mind Manipulation Hive Mind emanates from Synapse creatures, overriding the natural instincts of other Tyranids and transforming them into mindless monsters that are under the complete control of the Synapse creature, and Tyranid Psykers can easily overwhelm and shred the minds of others, and Power Nullification Shadow in the Warp cuts off psychic powers by severing a Psyker's connection to the Warp), Adaptation (Tyranids with the Ymgarl Factor can adapt, transforming slightly to better suit new conditions, and Lictors can change color to blend into their environments), Reactive Evolution (Many Tyranids can adapt to become more and more resistant to whatever they are faced with over time, and as Tyranids are birthed by the Hive Mind, they develop new abilities and evolve to become more resistant to whatever opponent they are facing), Immortality (Types 3 and 4; Tyranid organisms are reabsorbed by the Hive Mind whenever they die and rebirthed), Regeneration (Low-Mid to Mid; there are Tyranids capable of regenerating, and these can regenerate vital organs in seconds, with the greatest regenerative abilities being able to revive Tyranids that have had their brains destroyed) Attack Potency: Street level (A single Ripper can pull down and tear apart a human with ease) | Street level (Termagants and Gargoyles can overpower and kill soldiers in close combat) to Wall level (Hormagaunts can easily tear apart humans and rip through fortifications, and the weapons of Termagants can badly injure and tear apart those unlucky enough to be struck, even when armored) | At least''' Building level''' (Genestealers can easily shred through the armor of Space Marines and Terminators) | At least''' Building level''' (Tyranid Warriors are stronger than Space Marines), up to Large Island level with weapons (Heavy weapons like Venom Cannons can punch through tank armor) | At least Small Building level for Pyrovores (Pyrovores can reduce constructions and humans to ash with ease), Large Island level for Haruspexes (Haruspexes can rip apart and consume battle tanks) | At least Small Building level with Spore Mines (Should be comparable to the power of a Pyrovore), Large Island level with Bio-plasmic cannon (A Bio-plasmic cannon can easily destroy tanks) | Large Island level (Tyrant Guards can tear apart tanks and Hive Guards can easily shoot through them) | Unknown (Venomthropes don't rely on physical strength), ignores conventional durability with poison (Their poison causes biological matter to rapidly break down into a bubbling biomass) | Large Island level (Zoanthropes can easily destroy tanks with their psychic powers, and a large group of them were able to defeat a Greater Daemon of Nurgle, but the exact number present is unknown, and it was implied to be a very large amount) | Large Island level (Possesses the psychic power of a Zoanthrope and the physical might of Monstrous Creatures like Carnifexes) | Large Island level (Can destroy bunkers made to survive lascannon and plasma shots and can tear things like Dreadnoughts to pieces with ease. Tyrannofexes can shoot clean through Land Raiders and Monoliths) | Large Island level (Hive Tyrants are one of the strongest Tyranid organisms and should be at least comparable to Carnifexes) | At least Large Island level, possibly Multi-Continent level (Bio-Titans are far superior to normal Tyranid organisms and comparable to Imperial Titans, thus larger variants are likely at least somewhat comparable to larger Imperial Titans) | At least Large Island level, likely Multi-Continent level (Dominatrices are far superior to Hive Tyrants and other Bio-Titans) | Multi-Continent level (Tyranid Hive Ships are comparable to Imperial warships) Speed: Unknown | Subsonic (Much faster than humans, appearing so fast that they can't be tracked) | Subsonic with Hypersonic+ reactions and combat speed, likely higher (Genestealers can easily shred apart Space Marines before they can react) | Subsonic with Hypersonic+ reactions and combat speed (Tyranid Warriors can keep up with and outpace Space Marines) | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown, Hypersonic+ reactions and combat speed for Tyrant Guards (Tyrant Guards can intercept projectiles aimed at a Hive Tyrant) | Unknown | Unknown | Subsonic with Hypersonic+ reactions and combat speed | Subsonic with Hypersonic+ reactions and combat speed | Subsonic with at least Hypersonic+, possibly FTL reactions and combat speed (Hive Tyrants should be far superior to even veteran Marines, who can process information and react in under a nanosecond) | Subsonic with Hypersonic+ reactions and combat speed | Subsonic with at least Hypersonic+, possibly FTL reactions and combat speed | Unknown Lifting Strength: Unknown Striking Strength: Street Class | Street Class to Wall Class | At least Building Class | At least''' Building Class''' | Wall Class for Pyrovores, Large Island Class for Haruspexes | Unknown | At least Large Building Class for Hive Guards, Large Island Class for Tyrant Guards | Unknown | Unknown | Large Island Class | Large Island Class | Large Island Class | At least Large Island Class, possibly Multi-Continent Class | At least Large Island Class, likely Multi-Continent Class | Multi-Continent Class (Many Tyranid Hive Ships have implements such as horns, tentacles, and claws capable of ripping into warships) Durability: Street level | Street level | At least''' Building level''' | At least''' Building level''' | Wall level for Pyrovores, Large Island level for Haruspexes | Wall level for Biovores, Large Island level for Exocrines | At least Large Building level for Hive Guards, at least Large Island level for Tyrant Guards (Can take multiple blows meant to kill Hive Tyrants) | Wall level | Wall level, Large Island level with Warp Field | Large Island level | Large Island level (Can easily take multiple hits from heavy weapons and keep on going) | Large Island level | At least Large Island level, possibly Multi-Continent level | At least Large Island level, likely Multi-Continent level | Multi-Continent level Power Source: Biomass and bio-plasma, psychic energy Industrial Capacity: Thousands upon thousands of Hive Ships capable of producing invasion forces within a short span of time and capable of stripping entire planets of all life and energy and using it to fuel further creatures. Biomass is absorbed and consumed by Tyranids and used to create more Tyranids, so vicious battles with many dead leave only more opportunity for the Tyranids. Military Prowess: Tyranid invasion forces are made up of billions to trillions of organisms bred for combat. Notable Individuals: The Hive Mind, The Swarmlord, the Doom of Malan'tai, Old One Eye, the Parasite of Mortrex, Deathleaper Weaknesses: Lesser Tyranid organisms are dependent on the strategic guidance of the Hive Mind and Synapse creatures; without them, their order falls apart and they revert to savage, animalistic behavior, and may even fight amongst themselves. Key: Ripper Organisms | Gaunts | Genestealers | Warrior Organisms (Warriors, Raveners, Lictors) | Feeder Organisms (Pyrovores, Haruspexes) | Artillery Organisms (Biovores, Exocrines) | Guard Organisms (Tyrant and Hive Guards) | Venomthropes | Zoanthropes | Maleceptors | Monstrous Creatures (Carnifexes, Trygons, Tyrannofexes, etc.) | Hive Tyrants | Bio-Titans (Hierodules, Hierophants) | Dominatrices | Bio-ships Notable Attacks / Techniques: |-|Biomorphs= Acid Blood: Many Tyranids have caustic, burning acidic blood that will spray out of the smallest wounds, eating through ceramite and flesh in seconds. Adrenal Glands: A common biomorph among the Tyranid swarm, which saturates an organism's bloodstream with chemicals, boosting their metabolism to a hyperactive, frenzied state. Regeneration: Many Tyranids have the power to heal from horrendous, lethal wounds, reforming flesh and organs in seconds. Toxic Miasma: From the large vents in their backs, many Tyranids spray thick clouds of toxic gas that gradually poison the very atmosphere of a planet itself while suffocating prey organisms. Toxin Sacs: A common sight among Tyranids are parasitic glands that secrete vile, toxic fluids that coat their host's claws, teeth, and talons with lethal alien poisons that can cause prey to break down into bubbling mass or erupt into boiling blood. |-|Bioweapons= Acid Spray: A powerful weapon that sprays a gout of caustic digestive fluids that can quickly reduce prey to sizzling, liquefied flesh. Barbed Strangler: A large, rifle-like weapon that fires a fist-sized seed pod that grows to maturity in seconds, spreading out in all directions and releasing hooked tendrils that tear at prey. Those unfortunate enough to be pierced by the pod are torn apart from the inside as it bursts to life. Bio-plasmic Cannon: A giant weapon that channels its host's bio-plasma through a series of ventricles and then unleashes it as either a massive sphere of energy or several focused streams. Boneswords: Boneswords are living, thinking monomolecular blades powered by alien crystals that possess the ability to drain the life-force of their victims and slice through their molecular bonds. Cluster Spines: Many large Tyranid organisms have rows of explosive quills embedded in their carapaces that they can fire a great distance. When fired, they explode into thousands of razor-sharp shards. Deathspitter: A complex weapon symbiote made up of multiple creatures working in concert. It fires large, maggot-like creatures with corrosive innards after ripping off their shells. In response to the caustic burn of this creature's acids, the Deathpsitter fires the maggot with a violent spasm. Once it strikes its opponent, the maggot bursts into a shower of volatile acid that eats through armor and flesh with ease. Devourer: A conical lump of flesh infested by writhing parasites. When the weapon is used, an electric jolt fires these parasites into the air, and once they land on an opponent, they eat through their body, going through their nervous system and up to their brain. The largest Tyranid organisms possess more aggressive devourer worms, known as Brainleech Worms. Fleshborer: A compact nest for sharp-fanged borer beetles. When fired, one of these beetles launches itself at its target with a flick of its legs and rapidly digs into the first thing in its path, eating through armor, flesh, and bone. Impaler Cannon: A large bio-weapon that fires bony spines the size of a human with such speed and power that they can skewer a battle tank. At the base of each spine is a "shard-beast", a parasite that feeds off the spines' blood vessels and uses its fins to guide the spine towards its target making it so that an Impaler Cannon nearly always hits its mark. Lash Whip: A living cord of sinew and muscle that will writhe and lash out at any opponent that moves nearby on their own accord, slicing them apart or wrapping around their body and crushing the life out of them. Rending Claws: The infamous primary weapon of Genestealers, diamond-tipped claws that can tear through nearly any armor as if it were simply not there at all. Rupture Cannon: A bio-weapon that fires two projectiles in quick succession, first a bloated tick that bursts on impact and showers prey in a thick, oily substance, and the second, a seedpod. On contact with these viscous remains, the seedpod violently reacts and implodes with such strength that it can turn an armored vehicle inside out. Spinefists: Typically carried in pairs, spinefists are organisms with long tails that connect to the user's airways. Using this air, they fire a volley of spines, firing more with greater power the stronger and large the organism wielding them. Shockcannon: First firing large claws attached to the weapon by ropes of sinew, this bio-weapon delivers a lethal shock to whatever the claws latch onto, disrupting technology and causing it to go haywire. Stinger Salvo: The largest Tyranid organisms have row of razor-sharp, metre-long spikes within their carapaces that they can fire with a simple, powerful muscular contraction, impaling opponents nearby with a shower of spikes. Stranglethorn Canon: A heavier, more powerful version of the Barbed Strangler that fires a much larger, stronger, and more aggressive seed pod well-suited to tearing into tanks. Tentaclids: These living missiles seek out aerial prey and latch onto them without fail, delivering a massive pulse of bio-electricity that causes any technological systems to fail. Thorax Swarms: Some Tyranid organisms have thorax cavities filled with swarms of small symbiotic creatures that erupt from openings in their host's chest to cover their enemy and flood into their body through any open orifice. These include Electroshock Grubs, which can violently electrocute an opponent with arcs of electricity that connect these grubs, quickly frying prey, Desiccator Larvae, which latch onto their opponents and drain all their moisture away until they're nothing but a shriveled husk, and Shreddershard Beetles, a tiny organism covered in spines that crawls into any crevice or nook before exploding, ripping apart an opponent at their weakest parts. Venom Cannon: A large, long-barreled bio-weapon that fires salvos of large, corrosive crystals coated in a venomous residue at extremely high velocities with an electrostatic burst. Those that survive being struck by the crystals will soon be killed as they shatter, shredding apart everything in their surroundings in a hail of poisonous crystal slivers. |-|Bio-Artefacts= A few Tyranid bio-weapons are legendarily powerful symbiotic organisms that rarely appear. The Maw-Claws of Thyrax: Wielded by a dread beast that spearheaded the destruction of Thyrax, these fang-lined pincers can tear apart flesh and ceramite with ease and consume prey. Everything that they consume are assimilated into the Hive Mind - not just their body, but their memories, granting the Tyranids greater knowledge on their prey. The Miasma Cannon: A powerful bio-weapon that unleashes virulent streams of toxic slime that can quickly reduce prey to shapeless puddles of organic matter. The Reaper of Obliterax: A very powerful Bonesword that emits powerful bursts of energy with even the lightest of blows, blasting opponents asunder with even as little as a tap. |-|Psychic Powers= The Shadow in the Warp: As the Hive Fleet approaches, the Hive Mind casts a massive, sinister shadow in the Warp that severs a Psyker's connection to the Warp, making it near-impossible to safely use one's psychic powers. As the Tyranid swarm engulfs its prey, the Shadow in the Warp blots out all communication and psychic power, causing entire planets to simply go dark and disappear without even the smallest plea for help. Powers of the Hive Mind: Many Tyranids are Psykers, but instead of gleaning power from the depths of the Warp, they harness their psychic energies from the unfathomable depths of the Hive Mind. *'Catalyst:' The psyker reaches out and touches the mind of lesser organisms under its control, invigorating them with an immense, unnatural vitality that allows them to completely ignore pain and fight on even through the worst of wounds. *'The Horror:' The immense psychic power of the Hive Mind floods out from the psyker and spills into the minds of its enemies, causing them to panic and flee as they are overwhelmed by terror. *'Onslaught:' The psyker seizes control of its lesser organism's bioweapons while driving them forwards with a renewed ferocity, guiding their fire to be much more accurate. *'Paroxysm:' With a thought, the psyker causes its opponents to be wracked with an intense, extreme pain as every single one of their nerve and pain receptors fire up, overwhelming their senses and preventing them from focusing. *'Psychic Energy:' The Hive Mind shrieks through the psyker, releasing a wave of violent psychic energy that shreds the body and mind of all caught in the blast. *'Warp Blast:' Tapping into the raw destructive power of the Hive Mind, the psyker unleashes a blast of pure Warp energy from its cranium, vaporizing its prey. The psyker can channel this energy into a more focused stream with immense piercing power, capable of punching straight through the walls of a fortress and even vaporize a battle tank. Tyranid Organisms |-|Rippers= |-|The Parasite of Mortrex= |-|Termagants= |-|Hormagaunts= |-|Gargoyles= |-|Tyranid Warriors= |-|Raveners= |-|The Red Terror= |-|Lictor= |-|Deathleaper= |-|Haruspex= |-|Biovore= |-|Exocrine= |-|Hive Guard= |-|Tyrant Guard= Ripper Organisms: The most numerous of the Tyranid organisms released onto the surface of a planet. Although extremely small, Rippers are capable of overwhelming and tearing most humans to shreds with ease, and in great numbers, swarm and devour much larger prey alive. Ripper Swarms follow in the advance of the main Tyranid advance, devouring the dead and dying. Following the consumption of the planet's defenders, the Rippers that remain throw their own engorged bodies into the digestion pools to be broken down and used to fuel the creation of more complex creatures. Over time, Rippers will scour a prey world of every scrap of biomass and every drop of moisture, making them deceivingly dangerous. *'Sky-Slashers:' A strain of Rippers that has mutated to possess completely usable wings. Most often used on planets with minimal land mass, and virtually as common as their land-based relatives. *'The Parasite of Mortrex:' An infamous Tyranid organism that injected swarms of Rippers into the bloodstreams of its opponents, leaving them to be devoured from the inside out inside their own encampments. Despite the horrifying efficiency of this organism in combat, it was only ever seen once - and that planet disappeared underneath the swarms of Rippers it released. Gaunts: Among the most numerous of all Tyranid organisms, gaunts are simple bioforms created and released by the Hive Fleet in the billions. *'Termagants:' Although small, Termagants are agile, cunning, and efficient, using their great numbers to overwhelm opponents, often by bogging them down with a ridiculous amount of bio-weaponry. Termagants are ultimately expendable, and are often used as either meat shields or just to deplete ammunition and wear down defenders. *'Hormagaunts:' Hormagaunts are vicious, swift, and brutal organisms that swarm opponents in the millions, tearing anything that gets too close to shreds, while ignoring all pain and obstacles between them and their quarry. They are mostly left to their own devices during an invasion - their hunting instincts are enough to drive them, for the most part. *'Gargoyles:' A stain of Termagants with wings and blinding venom. Very much the same as their ground-based cousins, and just as dangerous, even in close ranges, due to their razor-sharp claws and barbed tails. Genestealers: The first Tyranid organisms encountered by Mankind, and the most infamous. Tyranid Warriors: The Warrior is the most adaptable of all Tyranid organisms. Standing at twice the height of a human and possessing significantly greater strength, Tyranid Warriors can use all kinds of bio-weaponry, at all kinds of ranges. As the most common of all synapse creatures, Warriors are used primarily to spread the influence of the Hive Mind and direct other Tyranids within combat. Due to this connection to the Hive Mind, each Tyranid Warrior is an expert strategist and combatant, capable of accessing the near-endless tactical knowledge of the Hive Mind whenever they wish. *'Tyranid Shrikes:' Although less durable than normal Warriors, Tyranid Shrikes instead possess powerful wings. This allows them to traverse the battlefield quickly to fill gaps in the synpatic web and attacking the foe wherever they are their most vulnerable. *'Tyranid Primes:' The apex of the Warrior strain - faster, stronger, and smarter than all other Warriors. They spread their superior intelligence and skill to the Warriors they lead into battle. Raveners: Voracious burrowing organisms comparable in body structure to Warriors, Raveners are even faster than their more adaptable cousins. They use their speed and strength to burrow long distances beneath a world's surface, before bursting out of the ground behind enemy lines and devouring their unsuspecting opponents. *'The Red Terror:' An immense Ravener of peerless strength, large enough to swallow even Space Marines whole. For twenty days, it preyed upon a mining world, and left nearly no survivors behind. Lictors: Lictors are Tyranid assassins, sent out ahead of the main swarm to scout out opponents and pockets of resistance. They are well-versed in the arts of stealth and can change the color and texture of their carapace to blend into their surroundings. Lictors are opportunistic hunters that will instinctively divide and slaughter opponents one by one, lobotomizing them and devouring their brain to absorb its memories and add another mind's knowledge to the unfathomable Hive Mind. In addition, a Lictor leaves a long, long pheromone trail that attracts other Tyranids to its position - the larger the concentration of prey, the more irresistible the lure. *'Deathleaper:' The apex of all Lictors, the Deathleaper is an assassin so savvy and intelligent that it has been compared to daemons. Pyrovores: A Tyranid organism that is little more than a moving stomach, using its back-mounted "Flamespurt" cannon to reduce prey to bubbling ash before consuming it. If wounded, a Pyrovore's volatile stomach acids spray from its body and douse its attacker. The weapon itself is more intelligent than the Pyrovore and guides it towards prey, firing automatically as the Pyrovore mindlessly gorges itself. Haruspexes: Massive, horrific Tyranid beasts made for a single, terrifying goal - devour everything nearby, alive or dead. Haruspexes accomplish this by dragging prey into their massive mouths with barbed grasping tentacles - anything that is too large to fit is torn to pieces, and then devoured bit by bit. A Haruspex can single-handedly devour a platoon of soldiers within moments, shoving one after another into its cavernous maw and eating them alive. Biovores: A clumsy Tyranid organism descended from re-purposed Ork DNA, Biovores nurture spore mines - living, acidic, explosive floating bombs - which they fire from a powerful bio-cannon. Spore mines possess limited intelligence, and explode as soon as they sense a non-Tyranid organism nearby, drenching them in acids and poisons and tearing them apart with sharp bits of chitin. Exocrines: The massive Exocrine is a living artillery piece, little more than a glorified means of transportation for the living, intelligent cannon fused into its flesh. Whilst the Exocrine possesses considerable strength, the cannon does most of the thinking and dominates its partner's mind to subject it to its plans. The bio-plasmic energy fired by its cannon scours its prey down into atoms, leaving virtually nothing behind. Hive Guards: Hive Guards are large, intelligent Tyranid organisms gifted with powerful bio-weapons capable of impaling battle tanks. They are primarily used to protect objectives, and they possess a telepathy that links them to the senses of other Tyranid organisms - with this, a Hive Guard is a brutally efficient sniper, made only more lethal by the control it has over its projectiles - there is virtually no escape from a Hive Guard's detection, and once it has shot, it is virtually guaranteed to land its lethal payload. Tyrant Guards: Tyrant Guards are the ultimate bodyguards, made to protect Hive Tyrants from all harm that would befall them. They have virtually no capacity for pain and are extremely difficult to harm - it takes several salvos of even the heaviest weaponry to kill them, which is often necessary given their aggressive and stubborn natures. Should their charge die, Tyrant Guards fly into a blind, instinctual rage, hunting down and slaughtering whatever killed the Tyrant to prevent the knowledge of how from escaping the battle. |-|Venomthrope= |-|Zoanthrope= |-|The Doom of Malan'tai= |-|Maleceptor= |-|Malanthrope= |-|Tyrannofex= |-|Carnifex= |-|Old One Eye= |-|Trygon= |-|Mawloc= |-|Tervigon= |-|Hive Crone= |-|Harpy= |-|Hive Tyrant= |-|Hierodule= |-|Hierophant= |-|Dominatrix= Venomthropes: Large, gangly Tyranids that flood their surroundings with a mist of toxic gas that shields their allies from gunfire and turns any non-Tyranid organisms that do as much as come in contact with it into a bubbling pile of biomass. Venomthropes drip with this toxin, using their tentacles to strangle opponents and lather them with lethal venoms, making quick work of whatever foolish organism got too close. Zoanthropes: The foremost psychic minds of the Tyranids, Zoanthropes are small, levitating creatures with massively enlarged brains and heads. They use their powerful link to the Hive Mind to disintegrate the flesh of organic opponents and the metal of vehicles. Zoanthropes are synapse creatures, spreading the influence of the Hive Mind to the other organisms of the Hive Fleet, and to protect them in this task, they possess a powerful Warp Shield capable of deflecting small arms fire and heavy weapons with equal ease. *'Neurothropes:' A further evolved Zoanthrope born from the Doom of Malan'tai and having inherited its powerful ability to absorb energy and use it to fuel its own psychic powers. Neurthropes can use their abilities to heal other Zoanthropes as well. *'The Doom of Malan'tai:' A single, terrifying Zoanthrope that single-handedly brought down the Eldar Craftworld of Malan'tai. It fed on the souls of the Eldar, growing unstoppable with all the psychic energy it has accumulated, and by the time the Eldar realized what was happening, Malan'tai was a barren, empty shell, and its Doom had vanished. Maleceptors: A fearsome, living vessel of the Hive Mind that combines the immense psychic might of the Zoanthrope with the physical strength of the largest Tyranid beasts. Using their psychic powers to instead overwhelm, terrify, and manipulate opponents, Maleceptors have developed organic processors so large that they needed to develop a larger, sturdier body to carry it. Malanthropes: A large Tyranid organisms that accompanies Ripper swarms as they wash over the surface of a dead planet, collecting genetic material and information from fallen foes. When encountered, Malanthropes bind an opponent in their tentacles and sting them, exposing them to their deadly cardiotoxic, neurotoxic and dermonecrotic venom, before consuming them. Within the Malanthrope, its prey slowly dies as their genetic information is extracted and analyzed. Tyrannofexes: Tyrannofexes are massive Tyranid organisms built for long-distance combat and clad in layer after layer of thick, chitinous armor, making it as durable as any heavy-battle tank. Its many armaments give it a power unmatched by nearly any Tyranid organism, save for bio-titans - their weapons range from powerful corrosive acids to bio-cannons that can punch holes clean through Land Raiders and similar vehicles. Carnifexes: Living engines of destruction, nearly as infamous as Genestealers. Carnifexes are massive, living battering rams created to break through any defense and destroy any opposition with their massive, crushing talons. One strain of Carnifex in particular is renowned - the Screamer-Killer, feared for the massive amounts of bio-plasma that it spat out at its foes, incinerating prey. Carnifexes are produced and fielded in great numbers, and are quite adaptable, being capable of utilizing the most ponderous of bioweapons - melee or ranged. Though slow, once a Carnifex builds up momentum, it is nearly unstoppable, plowing through fortress walls and super-heavy battle tanks to devour whatever remains on the inside. *'Old One Eye:' Though many Carnifexes possess regenerative powers, none are as great as Old One Eye. This Carnifex has survived countless 'deaths', regenerating from having its brain destroyed and later returning from plummeting to its supposed death. Trygons: A vast, serpentine Tyranid organism, larger even than the Carnifex. Trygons burrow deep within the surface of a planet, digging through even the sturdiest of materials to burst through under its prey once it detects it from deep below. Once it emerges, even the most powerful of weapons are often insufficient, and it can easily tear through super-heavy battle tanks and fortress walls. In addition, it generates vast amounts of bio-electricity as it moves, and can discharge it with a quick burst that leaves its prey as little more than a charred pile of broken bones. The tunnels left by a burrowing Trygon are used by other Tyranid organisms to appear behind enemy lines without notice. *'Mawlocs:' A smaller strain of Trygon, specialized towards eating things alive, digesting them over the course of many, many agonizing days. Mawlocs are mostly blind, instead analyzing their surroundings through pressure-sensitive organs and their sharp hearing. *'Trygon Primes:' An even larger Trygon linked to the Hive Mind, and possessing far superior bio-electric abilities than normal strains of Trygons. Tervigons: Tervigons are massive, bloated synapse creatures of incredible, ponderous strength, and psychic powers. However, the greatest threat within any Tervigon is not within its great power - it is within the great quantities of Termagants it births at a constant rate. These Termagants are energized by the presence of their parent, and the Tervigon itself is nearly impervious to harm thanks to its thick, durable shell. However, the synaptic backlash caused by a Tervigon's death often kills any Termagants too close. Hive Crones: A flying Tyranid organism possessing a large cannon within its mouth. This cannon fires globs of digestive enzymes over prey, turning them into an easily devoured slurry of biomass. They also possess powerful living missiles that home in on their targets with unerring accuracy, releasing a powerful bio-electrical pulse that cripples electronics and stalls engines. Hive Crones are even dangerous in close quarters, tearing prey apart with their scything talons. They are often used in orbital battles, where they tear into the hulls of enemy spacecraft. Harpies: A massive bioform that flies with grace and speed far surpassing that of any fighter craft. Harpies carry clusters of Spore Mines into battle, and can deafen their opponents with an echoing sonic screech - the more developed the hearing of its prey, the worse the effect. Harpies prefer to attack vehicles, tearing into them with their talons or blowing them to bits with their cannons from a distance, using their great speed and agility to their advantage. Hive Tyrants: The commanders of the Tyranid swarms, and among the only Tyranid organisms to possess any grain of individuality. While other Tyranid organisms live and die by the billions each day, a Hive Tyrant learns and evolves with each battle, honing its strategic knowledge with every passing moment. Like other synpase creatures, a Hive Tyrant is highly psychic - indeed, the domination it exerts over a swarm is virtually unmatched by another synapse creature. Hive Tyrants were created to overpower and out-think any imaginable foe. And though a Hive Tyrant may die, it will always return thanks to the inexorable will of the Hive Mind, stronger and smarter than ever. *'The Swarmlord:' The peak of all Hive Tyrants; the ultimate Tyranid organism. Hierodules: A large Tyranid organism, significantly larger than even a Carnifex, about the size of a super heavy battle tank. The Hierodule comes in two strains: *'Scythed Hierodules:' A strain of Hierodule, equipped with two massive pairs of scything talons capable of tearing through battle tanks and breaking down bunkers with little difficulty. In addition to its claws, a Scythed Hierodule possesses a symbiotic organism burrowed into its armor. This organism produces and discharges large amounts of dangerous acid, capable of eating through tank armor and melting organics. *'Barbed Hierodules:' This strain of Hierodule, as opposed to possessing a secondary pair of scything talons and its toxic organism has two powerful Barbed Strangler bio-cannons, and much thicker chitin, making it much harder to kill than its melee-oriented counterpart. Hierophants: Hierophants are immense bio-titans comparable to an Imperial titan in terms of size and power. Bristling with a wide variety of lethal bio-weaponry, they use their massive size and dangerous weapons to obliterate defenses and vehicles. As a last resort, Hierophants are equipped with toxic sacs that will release dangerous bursts of poisonous gas capable of killing any threat that gets too close. Dominatrices: An extremely rare bioform, only seen in the most advanced Tyranid swarms. The psychic grip of a Dominatrix is superior to even a Hive Tyrant - indeed, a Dominatrix is comparable in intelligence, and the bond it has to the Hive Mind surpasses even that of a Hive Tyrant's. Inside a Dominatrix rests a Norn Queen - the Tyranid organism responsible for the birth and creation of all other Tyranids. The Norn Queen births a constant army of vicious newborn Tyranids - ranging from the smallest gaunts to the largest Carnifexes. Hive Ships: The massive ships that act as the heart of Tyranid Hive Fleets, acting as a node for the Hive Mind to direct the fleet. The largest ones appear in the wake of a planet's destruction to feed off the planet, consuming entire oceans and atmospheres. Tyranid Cruisers: The most dangerous parts of the Tyranid fleet, massive, aggressive ships that rush out to meet opponents dead-on and attack with hull-melting gouts of acid and massive claws. These include Razorfiends, which move quickly and lash out at enemy ships with tentacles. Krakens: Powerful Tyranid scout ships that specialize in piercing hulls, whether with long proboscises, tentacles, or powerful blasts of electromagnetic energy. Narvhal: A special bio-ship that allows the Tyranids to rapidly travel interstellar distances. By locking in on a target by sensing gravimetric signals from across its surroundings, the Narvhal uses its target system's gravity to create a corridor of highly compressed space that Tyranids rapidly travel through, allowing them to move faster than light. However, as it gets closer, the Narvhal's senses are disrupted by stronger gravitational forces, and the Tyranids must exit this corridor, slowing down as they approach. Tyrannocytes: A Tyranid transport organism, resembling a giant spore, that contains Tyranids and are rained down upon a planet from orbit. Once it lands, it splits open and the Tyranids within flood out, while the Tyrannocyte returns to the air, armed with Deathspitters. 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